Shortening measuring cup



Jan. 20, 1953 v. T. MOE 2,625,824

SHORTENING MEASURING CUP Filed March 9, 1951 1 1 :::.1. fl IE? 5 E u a i4 [L4 1 LI 1 1|] g INVENTOR. VALERIE T. Moe

ATTOQN EYS Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHORTENING MEASURING CUP Valerie Theadcra Moe,Anaconda, Mont.

Application March 9, 1951, Serial No. 214,762

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to measuring devices, and more particularly to a receptacle of adjustable volume for measuring shortening, butter, and similar materials.

A main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved, adjustable measuring receptacle which is simple in construction, which can be readily adjusted in capacity, and wherein the parts may be readily separated for cleaning.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved adjustable measuring cup which is inexpensive to manufacture, which is durable in construction, and which can be readily adjusted and fixed to determine the capacity of the receptacle in measuring various substances, such as shortening, butter, lard and the like.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing an improved measuring cup constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the adjustable measuring cup of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable plunger member employed in the measuring cup of Figures 1 to 3.

Referring to the drawings, II designates a cylindrical shell member which may be constructed of plastic, aluminum or similar suitable material, said shell member being formed at its bottom end, as viewed in Figure 1, with an inturned flange I2. The flange I2 is formed at diametrically opposed locations with the wide notches I3, I3. Designated at I4 is a flanged plunger disc slidably mounted inside the cylinder II and formed with the U-shaped handle member I5 depending through the lower end of the shell member II, as viewed in Figure 1. The handle member I5 comprises the bight portion I5 and the side arms H, II, the bight portion I6 being reduced in width relative to the side arms, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, and the side arms merging with the flange of disc I4 at diametrically opposite points of the disc. The side arms IT, IT are arcuately curved to conform with the internal shape of the cylindrical shell member I I, and said side arms extend through the respective opposing notches I3, I3. Each side arm I! has the respective marginal edges I8 and I9, the edges I8 of the side arms being diametrically opposed and similarly, the edges I9 of said side arms being also diametrically opposed, as shown in Figure 4-. .The diametrically opposed edges I8, I8 are formed with the spaced notches 20 adapted to interengage with the end edges of the respective sections of the flange I2 defined by the notches I3, I3 responsive to counter-clockwise rotation of the handle I5, as viewed in Figure 2. The edges I9, I9 are formed adjacent the bight portion It with the respective notches 2I, 2! which may be engaged with the end portions of the flange sections responsive to clockwise rotation of the handle I5, as viewed in Figure 2. As shown in Figure l, the side arms I1, I! are inscribed with suitable markings adjacent the notches 2E3 indicating the measuring capacity of the receptacle defined by the shell I I and plunger disc I4 when the notches 29 are interengaged with the end portions of the flange sections defined by notches I3, I3, as above described. It will be apparent from Figure 1 that the side arms I'I, Il may be calibrated in various fractional parts of a cup, whereby said side arms may be interlocked with the flange I2 to define a measuring capacity having the various different values shown.

In using the device, the plunger disc I4 is set at the desired position, representing the desired fractional part of a cup to be measured out, and the space in the upper portion of the shell II is filled with the material to be measured, such as shortening, butter, lard or the like. After such space has been filled, the material may be expelled by disengaging the side arms IT, H from the end portions of the sections of flange I2 by rotating the handle I5 clockwise, as viewed in Figure 2, whereupon the plunger disc I l may be pushed by the handle I5 to expel the material from the cylindrical shell II. During the expulsion of the material, the handle I5 is twisted in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, the shell II being held in one hand and the handle bight portion It being held in the other hand. As the material is finally expelled from the cup, the notches 2i, 2i interlock with the end portions of the notches I3, I3 and prevent the plunger disc I4 from being pushed further outwardly from the shell member II.

When it is desired to clean the device, the plunger disc I4 and the integrally connected handle I5 are removed from the shell I I by pushing the handle I5 completely through the notches IS, IS, whereby the shell II becomes separated from the plunger disc I4 and the handle I5 attached thereto. After the parts have been suitably cleaned, they may be restored to the coop- 3 erating positions thereof, shown in Figures 1 to 3, whereby the device is ready for use in measuring shortening and similar substances.

While a specific embodiment of an improved adjustable measuring device has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A measuring device comprising a cylindrical shell member having an inturn'ed peripheral flange formed with diametrically opposed notches, a plunger disc slidably mounted in said shell member, and a generally U-shaped handle of fiat material having arcuate side arms slidably received in said shell member and located in said opposed notches, said side arms being respectively connected to diametrically opposed spective edges of one side arm being diametrically 4 opposed to the edges of the other side arm, one pair of diametrically opposed edges being each formed with a plurality of spaced detent notches arranged to interlock with said flange and spaced to define respective predetermined volumes in said shell member, and each of the other pair of diametrically opposed edges being formed solely adjacent the bight portion of the handle with a single detent notch, the last named, notches being arranged to interlock with said flange to limit expulsive sliding movement of the plunger disc through the shell member.

VALERIE THEADORA MOE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 703,097 strout June 24,1902 2,479,007 Gruben Aug. 16, I949 

